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Bearden Beer Market owner: I support mixed-use plan

The owner of the Bearden Beer Market publicly supported a proposed mixed-use zoning district in the neighborhood, a day after the establishment's manager said she had collected nearly 200 signatures opposing the plan.

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Bearden Beer Market owner: I support mixed-use plan

Ward Bigby, Molly Arwood, and Dillon Cawood, all of Knoxville, share beers at Bearden Beer Market, located off of Kingston Pike on Tuesday, June 7, 2016. Operators of the Bearden Beer Market are circulating a petition against the proposed Bearden Village Opportunities Plan, which is going before MPC in August. They are concerned the plan will force earlier closing times and put them out of compliance. (CAITIE MCMEKIN/NEWS SENTINEL)(Photo: CAITIE MCMEKIN)

Hunter Thomas signs a petition against the proposed Bearden Village Opportunities Plan on Tuesday, June 7, 2016, at Bearden Beer Market. Operators of Bearden Beer Market are concerned the plan will force earlier closing times and put them out of compliance. (CAITIE MCMEKIN/NEWS SENTINEL) (Photo: CAITIE MCMEKIN)

Patrons hangout at Bearden Beer Market, located off of Kingston Pike on Tuesday, June 7, 2016. Operators of the Bearden Beer Market are circulating a petition against the proposed Bearden Village Opportunities Plan, which is going before MPC in August. They are concerned the plan will force earlier closing times and put them out of compliance. (CAITIE MCMEKIN/NEWS SENTINEL) (Photo: CAITIE MCMEKIN)

A sign marking Bearden Beer Market stands outside the establishment, located off Kingston Pike, on Tuesday, June 7, 2016. Operators of the Bearden Beer Market are circulating a petition against the proposed Bearden Village Opportunities Plan, which is going before MPC in August. They are concerned the plan will force earlier closing times and put them out of compliance. (CAITIE MCMEKIN/NEWS SENTINEL) (Photo: CAITIE MCMEKIN)

The owner of the Bearden Beer Market publicly supported a proposed mixed-use zoning district in the neighborhood, a day after the establishment's manager said she had collected nearly 200 signatures opposing the plan.

'I was not contacted about any of this,' said owner Chris Morton. 'It's not miscommunication; there was no communication. I'm the sole rep of Bearden Beer Market.'

In a news release sent to local media outlets early Thursday evening, Morton said he was 'surprised and disappointed' to learn his manager had been circulating the petition.

The manager, Angie Ervin, opposed a portion of the plan that she said would limit the beer market's hours to 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., potentially costing the business thousands of dollars a week.

Despite learning about the petition by reading the News Sentinel story, Morton said he does not blame Ervin and that 'of course mistakes are made.' She 'is a great person' and remains the manager of the market, he said.

Morton said he's also confident the 11 p.m. restriction would not apply to the Beer Market because it wouldn't be in the commercial mixed-use district. He also said the proposal is still in draft form and that after emailing with city officials, he is 'confident the plan will have a positive impact on the area and his business.'

Morton, who also is a partner with Alliance Brewing Company in South Knoxville, said the idea of a walkable neighborhood is in line with that company's philosophy of what they call an 'Active Beer Culture.'

The idea behind the tag line, he said, is an active lifestyle and participation in the community. The city's work in Bearden and along the South Waterfront are helping achieve that, he said.

'They're making this city awesome and they're taking steps to move forward,' he said. 'We're catching up with cities that have been doing this for a while. They're being really proactive and doing things really cool.'

Bearden Beer Market also will be the meet-up site for the first of four Bike Walk Knoxville events on Tuesday at 6 p.m., when community members can tour the neighborhood with elected officials and discuss the mixed-use district plan.

The proposed district is based on a 2001 plan adopted by the Metropolitan Planning Commission, called the Bearden Village Opportunities Plan.

Mike Reynolds, the MPC planner in charge of the mixed-use plan, said Wednesday he didn't think the 11 p.m. closing requirement would affect the beer market, and said he anticipates more public meetings to clear up confusion before the proposal goes before MPC on Aug. 11.

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